Running away from Japan in the third of six stages and never relinquishing their lead again, Ethiopia won the 2008 Yokohama Women’s Ekiden, a Marathon distance ekiden on Sunday (24 Feb).

For Ethiopia, it was their second victory in the Yokohama Ekiden, having won the event previously in 2004. The day was very windy but their winning time, 2:14:47, was one second faster than the winning time of the Russian team from the last year. Finishing second, one place higher but more than 30 seconds slower than last year, was the host nation Japan. The defending champions Russia finished third, their worst finish since 2003.

How the race unfolded:

Stage 1 (5 Km) -
Aya Nagata of the Kyushu district team led the pack initially and passed the first Km in 3:09. However, a kilometre later Yuriko Kobayashi of the Japanese national team went into the front and started to push the pace.  Mari Ozaki of Kinki, 14th at the Marathon in the 2007 World Championships, and Bizunesh Urgesa of Ethiopia tried to stay with Kobayashi. Kobayashi, 2006 World Junior bronze medalist and 2006 Asian Games silver medalist, both at 1500m, left both of them behind by 2.5Km. She ran the rest of the stage alone.  Kobayashi, running the first stage for the third consecutive year, covered the 5Km first stage in 15:04, nine seconds faster than last year.  It was her first stage best in Yokohama.

“I am happy that I was able to cover each Km (after the first) under three minutes" said Kobayashi. "One of the goals for the day was to run the stage faster than the Olympic “A” standard and although it was on the road (so it won’t count), I am still happy to succeed.” Yelena Zadorzhnaya of the defending champion Russia was 23 seconds behind Kobayashi.

Stage 2 (10 Km) -
For the next two stages, Ethiopia and Japan battled it out for the lead. Wude Ayalew of Ethiopia, who started the stage 26 seconds behind the leader Japan, started very fast and caught Yukiko Akaba of Japan 2.2Km into the 10Km second stage.

“I was thinking more about the team than myself,” said Ayalew after the race. “I am happy that we won.” Akaba, on the other hand said, “I almost panicked when the Ethiopian caught up to me so early in the stage. But after seeing the 5Km split (16:20 for Akaba), I knew I could pick up the pace in the last half. I am happy to be able to do that." Akaba covered the last half in 15:23.

Akaba and Ayalew ran together until 7.4Km into the stage before Akaba pulled away.  At the end of the stage, Japan led Ethiopia by 24 seconds.  Although the 2006 European 10,000m champion Inga Abitova was running the second stage for Russia, with 15 of the 42.195Km completed, the defending champion Russia fell a minute 42 seconds behind Japan. 

Stage 3 (6 Km) -
The battle between Ethiopia and Japan continued in the third stage. Workitu Ayanu of Ethiopia caught Tomomi Yuda of Japan at 2.7Km. Although Yuda stayed with Ayanu, it was only for 700m. The Ethiopian pulled away and by the end of the third stage, the gap was 13 seconds.  Thanks to the stage best run by Mariya Konovalova, Russia moved into third, but they were still a minute and eight seconds behind the leader Ethiopia.

Stage 4 (6 Km) -
With a stage best by Getaneh Genet, Ethiopia now was in a commanding lead. With 27Km of the 42.195Km completed, Ethiopia led by a minute and eight seconds. Although Liliya Shobukhova, second at 3000m in the 2006 World Indoor Championships, ran this stage for Russia, they fell to three minutes behind Ethiopia. Their chance for three-peat was slipping away. 

Stage 5 (10 Km) -
Misaki Katsumata of Japan recorded a stage best, 32:39, and cut down Ethiopian’s lead to 45 seconds, which kept the hope of the home fans alive.  The Russians were now more than four minutes behind.

Stage 6 (5.195 Km) -
Makda Harun of Ethiopia put an end to any hope of the home fans. She covered the 5.195Km final stage in 16:50, nearly a minute faster than the second fastest. Ethiopia won by nearly two minutes.  The defending champion Russia was six minutes behind the winner.  

Ken Nakamura assisted by Akihiro Onishi for the IAAF

Weather: Sunny, temperature 6.7C, humidity 21%, wind 10.2m/s North North West

Results:
 1. ETH   2:14:47
 2. JPN   2:16:41
 3. RUS   2:20:47
 4. Kyushu   2:21:45
 5. Kanto-Tokyo   2:22:05
 6. Kinki   2:22:17
 7. Tokai-Hokuriku   2:22:57
 8. Kanagawa   2:23:48
 9. Hokkaido-Tohoku   2:24:30
10. Chugoku-Shikoku   2:24:55
11. CHN   2:25:11
12. USA   2:25:53
13. MAR   2:28:30
14. POL   2:32:39

Best Stages:
(Stage, Distance, Time, Runner, Team)
1 - 5Km - 15:04 - Yuriko Kobayashi, JPN 
 - 15:21 - Mari Ozaki, Kinki district
2 - 10Km - 31:41 - Wude Ayalew, ETH
 - 31:43 - Yukiko Akaba, JPN
3 - 6Km - 18:10 - Mariya Konovalova, RUS
 - 18:20 - Workitu Ayanu, ETH
4 - 6Km - 19:23 - Getaneh Genet, ETH
 - 20:19 - Kazue Kojima, JPN
5 - 10Km - 32:39 - Misaki Katsumata, JPN
 - 33:03 - Yimenashu Taye, ETH
6 - 5.195Km - 16:50 - Makda Harun, ETH
 - 17:48 - Akiko Matsuyama, Kinki